Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-09-15
THE BATTERED CHARM.
Regarded by a Dakotian as the Most
Precious Relic In the World.

Regarded by a Dakotian as the Most
| Precious Relic In the World.
Colonel, "said someone to man as
ne sat chatting in The Dakota Bell Of
fee, "why do you wear that old batter
ed watch-charm +? Throw it away, and
I'll buy you new one.'
"Pll tell you about this charm" re-
piled the colonel, after being lost in
thought moment as he gazed at it.
at was twenty years ago when / got
that My first constituents gave it to
ME. They rendered me a recept'o on
when came home from serving my
first term in the legislature. and pre-
sented me with this watch and chain,
with the charm. with the stone on one
side and Masonic emblem on the 9TH
Ell. l was young then, and to be thus
honoced by my townspeople pleased
me greatly. TWAS proud day for me.
And not the least of my pleasure was
caused by the proud and happy look
my wife gave ME as l sat down after
my speech of thanks,
For week consulted this watch
almost as frequently as the boy with
his first timepiece. Then one morning
forgot it, and left it on the dressing
case. When came home at noon I
found that our little boy-our first, a
little curly-headed fellow, hardly 2
years old-had my watch on the floor
pounding the charm with little ham
mer he had to play with. He had it all
battered. and the stone broken as you
see it now. was angry the moment /
saw it. had. never been angry with
him. before but / was this time.
snatched it away from him and slapped
his hands; not enough to hurt much,
but it seemed to break his heart. He
ran to his mother, in another room,
crying pitifully. and put on the watch
and tucked the charm out of sight.
When tried to get him to kiss me
good-by after dinner he ran away and
began crying again.
THAT very afternoon he was taken
sick. When 1 came in tho door
missed his laughter, and | found him
in his little bed with the doctor count
ing his pulse. ... ~.
"For two weeks there was but one
person more constantly at his side than
|, and that was his mother. No mother
was ever yet outwatched at such a
time.
THE anger he had seemed to feel
when he ran away and would not kiss
me good-by passed away. He would
call me If ! stepped away when he was
awake, and when the hot, burning
fever left him he would smile when he
looked up at me, and stretch out his
little hands.
But he would not take the charm,
though l offered it and the watch to
him time after time. He was welcome
to charm, watch. hammer and all.
would have given all l had in the
world, including my ambition, which
was high then, to have seen him we'll
and strong enough to pound the watch
into hundred pieces. But he would
not take it. When laid it beside him
he would push it from him ana look the
other way.
Day by day, night by night, he
grew weaker till even we-his mother
and lever hoping could see that the
end was near.
''One night as we sat by his little bed
he opened his eyes out of q sleep-the
best he had had for long time. His eyes
were bright, and we saw there was q
change. AS we clasped our hands and
leaned over him no one who has not
stood in our places can tell how earn
estly we prayed that it was change
for the better. He turned his head
slightly and raised his hand very lit
tie; we did not understand what he
wanted at first. Then | thought no.
ticed that his eyes were fixed on the
charm-the one he had refused so
many times during his sickness. |
took it off and handed it TO him. lie
clasped it in one poor, little bony hand
the one that had been so plump and
dimpled when he had climbed up
and taken it beforehand looked at it
Gt seemed to us lovingly as his head
sank on his breast. Then he turned
his poor. sunken eyes up to me. Then
they closed. That was all. We were
alone.
so that is why l wear the old bat
tered charm with the stone cracked and
broken, and the little teeth-marks and
hammer-den,s in the gold; and why it
is the most precious piece of property
l have In the world"